Australian gets job as Beckham's amigo

Photo: TIM CLAYTONAndrew Bernal has been handed the responsibility of ensuring the Beckhams adjust to their new life in Madrid.

Former Socceroo Andy Bernal has been handed the task of ensuring the biggest transfer deal in soccer history gets off on the right foot.

Bernal will be by David Beckham's side when the $62.5 million Real Madrid signing and England skipper arrives for the first day of pre-season training on Friday. The Canberra-born Spanish speaker will be Beckham's right-hand man during the crucial early months of his new career at the Bernabeu.

After a stringent vetting process by London-based management company SFX, Bernal has been handed the responsibility of ensuring Beckham, his pop star wife Victoria and their two sons adjust to life in Madrid.

"I'd rather not be called his minder," Bernal said. "Call me his Spanish representative and let's leave it at that."

The job of looking after its most valued client is a huge vote of confidence by SFX in Bernal, who has been in the player management business for three years since retiring as a player.");document.write("

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Bernal is the first to admit that, during a 15-year journeyman career that began at Sydney Olympic and included stints with Spanish clubs Jerez and Sporting Gijon and English sides Ipswich Town and Reading, he never scaled such lofty heights.

Remember the frenzied scenes when Beckham turned up for his recent medical test, witnessed by 500 journalists from 25 countries?

Real Madrid may be the world's biggest soccer club but Beckham's fame transcends even its traditions. He is a good player, but many argue not a great one. Yet as a marketing machine, he has no peer.

Bernal's task is to make sure the Beckham empire on and off the pitch runs just as smoothly in Madrid as it did in Manchester. It is a challenge he is relishing.

Call it good luck or whatever, but it doesn't get much bigger than this. ANDY BERNAL, David Beckham's helper

"This is the arena of football I want to be in," he said. "I played to a decent level, although I never played for Man United or Real Madrid. We can't all do that.

"But I'm as ambitious as a player manager as I was as a player. Call it good luck or whatever, but it doesn't get much bigger than this."

Bernal's parents hail from the Real heartland of Castilla Leon, and SFX began to think about relocating him from Sydney. With a stable of England internationals Beckham, Michael Owen, Steve Gerrard, Darius Vassell and Emile Heskey on its books, SFX felt it made sense to have a man on the ground should any of these players move to Spain. The Beckham transfer forced the issue.

Bernal arrives in Madrid today, where he will spend most of the next six months as Beckham's liaison with teammates, club, public, media and perhaps sponsors. "The first three or four months are the important ones - he'll be getting used to the language, the culture, the team, the lifestyle," he said. "It's pretty obvious he doesn't need advice with his football."